In Cucho’s return, it’s Aidan Morris who delivers an equalizer against D.C. United
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Though Cucho Hernandez’s return to the field for Columbus lasted less than 75 minutes, the Crew found a way to be resilient again thanks to Aidan Morris.
Morris delivered a thrilling equalizer in the 87th minute with a long-range shot to the back of the net, tying the match at 1-1 against D.C. United and lifting the spirit of more than 20,000 fans at Lower.com Field who were worried they might witness the Crew’s first loss at home this season.
Cleveland Guardians ace Shane Bieber to have season-ending surgery
The draw marks the Crew’s second straight in MLS competition and third overall after a tie with Nashville last week and a 1-1 result against Tigres on Tuesday in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals.
After missing the last two matches for what head coach Wilfried Nancy called “team policy”, Hernandez was back in the starting lineup Saturday night. But his return was cut short when he received a red card in the 75th minute for violent conduct.
Christian Benteke scored the game’s first goal in the 61st minute on a right-footed shot from the center of the box thanks to a feed from Jared Stroud. D.C. United held the 1-0 lead until Morris’ equalizer 26 minutes later.
For Morris, the goal was redemption after he was shown a red card in last Tuesday’s match against Tigres. It was the second straight contest where Morris found the back of the net.
The Crew will be without Morris when they return to the field on Tuesday night for the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal against Tigres in Monterrey, Mexico. A win would earn a spot in the semifinals against either Monterrey or Miami. The Crew can also advance with a draw if they score at least two goals. A 1-1 draw would force extra time while a scoreless draw would see Tigres advance.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
